Oakfield Demesne

Oakfield Demesne is a house, grounds and townland in County Donegal, Ireland, originally built in 1739 for the Dean of Raphoe.[1] Since 1996 it has been owned by Sir Gerry Robinson and his wife, Lady Heather Robinson.[2] The demesne includes the 100-acre Oakfield Park gardens, open to the public which includes the 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) narrow-gauge railway Difflin Lake Railway.[1]

This article is about the park and gardens near Raphoe, County Donegal. For the nearby castle now a ruin, see Raphoe Castle.

Oakfield Demesne
Oakfield House
Coordinates54.8765°N 7.5745°W / 54.8765; -7.5745
Websiteoakfieldpark.com

History

The house that is central to the estate was originally built by the Church of Ireland for the Deanery of Raphoe in 1739.[3] It ceased to be used as a deanery after being sold to Captain Thomas Butler Stoney of the Donegal Militia in 1869.[3]

Former occupants included Captain Stoney.[1] The Irish Republican Army were known to have occupied the house in the 1920s.[1] The Patterson family, known for their music, were owners during the twentieth century.[1]

After purchasing the estate the Robinsons engaged the architect Tony Wright to transform the 100 acres (0.40 km2) overgrown estate into parklands, gardens and lakes to restore the house to its original condition.[1]

Oakfield House

The house was built c. 1739 as a five-bay, two-storey with a dormer constructed over a basement.[4]

Oakfield Park
Nymphaeum at Oakfield Demesne

The park was created by the Robinsons soon after the start of their stewardship; as an extension of the existing gardens which had become mainly disused.[1] Some old trees did remain, including a 12-limbed horse Chestnut and a Spanish chestnut, calculated to be as old as the Battle of the Boyne.[1]

To cater for the 2021 season in the COVID-19 pandemic additional outdoor covered seating has been provided for alfresco diners.[5]

Difflin Lake Railway
Oakfield Park station

The Difflin Lake Railway is 4.5 kilometres (2.8 mi) is length.[3] As of July 2021 it is one of seven operational heritage railways in the Republic of Ireland that the Commission for Rail Regulation requires to have a Safety Management System (SMS) in place.[6]

References

Footnotes
  1. Harte 2007.
  2. Powers 2016.
  3. HHI 2021.
  4. NIAH 2010.
  5. Go Wild 2021.
  6. CRR 2021, Heritage Railways.

Sources
  • CRR (July 2021). "Areas we regulate". Commission for Rail Regulation. Heritage Railways. Archived from the original on 5 June 2021. Retrieved 26 July 2021.
  • Go Wild (24 April 2021). "Oakfield Park in Donegal Re-Opens for the Season". Go Wild Magazine. Archived from the original on 26 July 2021. Retrieved 26 July 2021.
  • Harte, Amy Rose (7 October 2007). "Botanic Nirvana in Donegal". Sunday Business Post. Ireland. Archived from the original on 14 December 2007.
  • HHI (2021). "Oakfield Park". Historical Houses of Ireland. Archived from the original on 25 February 2021. Retrieved 26 July 2021.
  • NIAH (18 November 2010). "Oakfield House, Oakfield Demense, Donegal". Buildings of Ireland. Archived from the original on 26 July 2021. Retrieved 26 July 2021.
  • Powers, Jane (16 July 2016). "Under the oaks". The Irish Times. Dublin. Archived from the original on 26 July 2021. Retrieved 26 July 2021.
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